Rumsey family papers, 1804-1843.

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Rumsey family papers, 1804-1843.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/41236424

These are the papers of the Rumsey family of western Kentucky. The materials include a draft of a legal document appointing James Johnson of Baltimore as agent and attorney to prosecute claims relating to the original inventions of the first James Rumsey. There are also two land agreements, one-dated 1809 and the other 1813, for land in western Kentucky belonging to Dr. Rumsey. Correspondence includes an 1804 letter by creditors to Dr. Rumsey, a letter to the latter from his son-in-law, James Weir, in Greenville concerning personal and local news as well as questions about Dr. Rumsey's plans to put a steamboat into operation, and three letters by the Edward Rumsey who served in Congress. These letters include an 1835 letter to his brother accounting for his profits and losses as a merchant in Greenville and a letter as a Congressman in 1837 concerning a prospective appointment to West Point that he would have the right to fill and the work of Congress in general, particularly regarding the Bank of the United States question. Some business documents such as receipts and promissory notes are also present. A transcript of a murder trial pertaining to the death of Milton I. Cartwright is also included. The person accused of the crime apparently was Thomas Wadlington. No date or place is given and no obvious connection to the Rumseys is indicated, beyond provenance notes stating the material belonged to the Rumsey family papers.

.5 cubic ft.

Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library

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SNAC Resource ID: 7434935

Kentucky Historical Society, Martin F. Schmidt Research Library

Related Entities

There are 2 Entities related to this resource.

Rumsey family.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w65n5dmv (family)

James Rumsey (1743-1792), a native of Maryland and later a resident of Virginia, was an inventor who is sometimes credited as the originator of the steamboat or navigation by steam. His son was Dr. Edward Rumsey, who lived in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Dr. Rumsey's sons, James D. Rumsey, and Edward Rumsey (1796-1868) lived in Hopkinsville and Greenville, Kentucky. The latter was an U.S. Congressman from 1837 to 1839 and was a member of the Whig party. From the description of Rumsey fam...

Rumsey, James, 1743?-1792

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6h42f3b (person)

Engineer and inventor. From the description of Papers of James Rumsey, 1784-1802. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71015416 Inventor, of Shepherdstown, Va. (now W. Va.). From the description of Papers, 1785-1816. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 20159048 James Rumsey (1743-1792) invented a steam-powered boat in 1787 and developed an improved steamboiler, grist mill, and sawmill. He secured English and U.S. patents on the boiler and steamboat ...